The invention relates to a method and a device for cleaning machines for filling bottles, cans or other containers having a common tank for the liquid and a gas which is injected into the bottles and having filler valves which are connected with the tank by gas and liquid conduits, the gas conduits opening into the tank at a higher level than the liquid conduits. A beer bottle filling machine is an example.
Filling machines having a common tank for the filling liquid and a gas and having filler valves connected with the tank via conduits, are known. Usually the filler valves which couple to the container during filling are arranged in a circle in the center of which is a rotatably mounted tank. This known construction has the advantage that the tank, which is relatively small as compared with the pitch circle of the filler valves, can be produced at low cost. Besides, if necessary, the liquid surface in the tank can be covered almost completely in simplest manner by a float, so that no exchange of gas takes place. However, certain problems arise in the cleaning and sterilization of such known filling machines. When a cleaning liquid is circulated through the tank, the liquid conduits, the interior of the filler valves insofar as accessible, and the gas conduits, these parts are indeed wetted but an appreciable flow velocity in the conduits and filler valves does not occur. The cleaning effect is therefore superficial. It is also difficult to get the dissolved or detached impurities, etc. out of the valve interiors and out of the conduits. Cleaning without disassembly of the filling device is therefore hardly feasible.